Anode grid structure



Jan. 9, 1934. s. wlDMER ANoDE GRID STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 16, 1951 Patented Jan. 9, 1934 1,943,250

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE ANODE GRID STRUCTURE Stefan Widmer, Baden, Switzerland, assignor to Aktiengesellschaft Brown Boveri & Cie., Baden, Switzerland, a joint-stock company of Switzerland Application November 16, 1931, Serial No. 575,488, and in Germany October 11, 1930 4 Claims. (Cl. 250-27.5)

An application has been led in Germany of the metallic vapor arc type employing a corn- October 1l, 1930. bined wire mesh and plate grid structure for con- This invention relates to improvements in trolling the action of the arc flowing from the means for controlling the arc which provides anode, 5 the valve action in an electric current rectifier Figure 2 is a top view of the grid structure 60 of the metallic vapor type and more particularly shown in Figure 1; and to grid structures for use within the arc guides Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to that shown suspended from the anodes of such rectiers. in Figure 2, but showing modied structures of The use of grids within the arc guides for the one portion of the combined grid structure.

anodes of an electric current rectifier of the Referring more particularly to the drawing 65 metallic vapor type for the purpose of preventby characters of reference, the reference nuing backiires or reverse ow of current through meral 6 designates an insulator Which is arranged the rectifier is already well known. Such grids to extend through the top of an electrical power generally depend for their effectiveness on their rectier of the metallic Vapor arcing type of the heating effect which causes a decrease in the usual construction which is therefore not shown. 70 vapor pressure within the arc guide and thus de- An anode comprising a stem portion 7 and a head creases the danger of backres or, when a potenportion 8 is associated with the insulator 6, the tial is impressed on the grids, depend on the restem 7 extending through the insulator to the pulsive effect of the impressed charge upon the exterior of the rectiiier for the connection of an negatively charged ions or molecules of metallic electric conductor thereto and the head 8 clos- 75 vapor approaching the grids. Grids in the form ing the central passageway for the stem through of wire mesh or as plates or hollow cylinders arthe insulator. A substantially cylindrical memranged within the arc guide have been used, but ber 9 forming aneans for guiding the arc nownone of such structures completely fulfilled the ing from the anode to the cathode (not shown) desired purpose even though a plurality of grids of the rectier is suspended from the insulator 80 were arranged above each other within the guide 6 and partially incloses the anode head 8, the and even though some of such plurality of grids end of the arc guide 9 opposite the anode head 8 were charged while others of the grids were used being open and being directed toward the Vamerely for heating purposes. Even the use of a porizable cathode of the rectifier.

separate wire mesh grid and a grid formed of A grid structure comprising a plate grid 11 85 plates or cylinders in the samev arc guide has and a wire mesh grid 12 is supported within the been found to be insufficient to obtain the desired arc guide 9 between the anode head 8 andthe control of the charged particles of metallic vapor open end of the arc guide upon insulators 13. carrying the arc within the rectifier. The plate grid ll and the wire grid 12 are both It is, therefore, among the objects of the presmechanically and electrically connected by weld- 90 ent invention to provide a grid structure for elecing, or by otherwise aiiixing the plate members 11 tric power rectiers of the metallic vapor arcing to the mesh grid 12 and the combined structure type in which a combined Wire mesh and plate supported by resting the outer one of the plates grid are used. 11 onsuitable brackets such as 16 aixed to in- Another object of the invention is to provide sulators 18, 19 fastened in the sleeve 9. Elec- 95 a grid structure for electric power rectifiers in trical conductors 14 and 15 are connected with which a wire mesh grid is directly connected with the grid 11 and are brought out through the arc a plate grid, both of such grids being arranged guide 9 by means of insulating bushings 13 to an within the arc guides depending from the anodes. external source of potential (not shown) for the Another object of the invention is to provide purpose of applying a control potential to the 100 a grid structure for electric power rectiers in grids as is well known. which a wire mesh grid is both mechanically and l As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the plate grid 11 electrically connected with a plate grid. may be in the form of a plurality of concentric VObjects and advantages, other than those cylinders which may be spaced a uniform disabove set forth, will be apparentfrom the foltance from the arc guide 9 and from each other 105 lowing description when read in connection with ormay be spaced at unequal distances as may the` accompanying drawing forming a part of the be desired. Under some circumstances it is depresent disclosure in which sirable that the concentric cylinder grid struc- Figure 1 is a partial vertical sectional View of ture 11 be replaced by a structure as shown at an anode structure of an electric power rectier 21 in Fig. 3 which is a single strip of metal in 110 the form of an Archimedean spiral eccentrically located within the arc guide and it may also be desirable to replace the wire mesh 12 shown in Figures 1 and 2 by a plurality of parallel arranged wires 22 as shown in Figure 3. In such an assembly the strip 21 may, preferably, be welded to the wire members 22 which in turn may be welded to a metal ring as 20 and the whole thereby insulatingly supported in the sleeve 9 in manner such as shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 illustrates a plate grid 24 formed from a plurality of parallel arranged separate strips of metal extending across the arc guide in planes substantially parallel to the axis of the arc guide. As in the embodiment, according to Figs. 1 and 2, the strips 24 may be afxed to the Wire grid 12 by welding or otherwise and supported in a sleeve 9 on suitable members similar to the brackets 12 and insulators 18, 19. The results obtained by the present invention are not dependent upon the specic forms of the separate grid structures but rather uponthe action of the combined structure as may be seen from the above description of suitable means for obtaining the desired result.

The use of a mechanically and electrically combined or connected grid olf wire mesh and of plates permits the effective blocking ofi of an anode relative to the cathode of a rectifier due to the fact that the plate grid structure absorbs the residual charge after the arc has ceased owing from the anode and the Wire grid prevents any great number of metallic ions from reaching the anode. The above result is due to the fact that the arc guide is both mechanically and electrically blocked which insures against backres. The relatively small mesh wire grid is very highly heated during the time the arc 'is flowing from the anode to the cathode because the wire mesh is relatively close vand is arranged close to the anode and between the anode and the plate grid in such manner that any gases in the Vicinity of the wire grid, when the rlow of the arc is to be blocked, are very highlyheated which causes expansion of such gasesand thus reduces the vapor pressure within the arc guide. The danger of backfires is thus greatly decreased. As a result of the mechanical connection of the grids a heat transfer takes place from the wire grid to the plate grid whereby the latter is also maintained at a relatively high temperature thus aiding in the diffusing action upon the gases and vapors present within the arc guide in addition to the space charge impressed upon the plate grid from the source of control potential.

The spacing of the entire or combined grid structure from the anode may be varied as desired, but the axial length of the plate grid portions depends upon the spacing of the several plates from each other and from the arc guide i. e. the greater the spacing of the several plates the greater will be the axial length required in the plate grid structure to produce such space charge within the arc guide as will secure a sufficiently complete repulsive action on the negatively charged particles of vapor rising from the cathode.

Although but a few embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent lto those skilled in the art that various changes and modiiications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination with an electric current rectifier of the Vapor arcing type having an electrode constituting a terminal for the establishment of arcs thereto, of a grid structure arranged within the path of said arcs comprising an element formed of plates extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis oi said arc path of such length and so spaced relative to each other as to establish such electric space charge therebetween as to control the flow of electrons and ions in said path, and a wire mesh element extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said path, the said mesh element being supported intermediate said electrode and said plates in direct mechanical contact with the latter to thereby absorb the heat of arcs flowing in said path whereby the density of vapor about said electrode is reduced during momentary non-operating periods thereof.

2. In combination with an electric current rectier of the vapor arcing type having an anode and an arc guide arranged thereabout, of a grid structure disposed Within said guide comprising an element formed of plates extending axially of said guide and so spaced relative to each other as to establish electric space charges therebetween of such magnitude as to control the flow of electrons and ions through said guide, and a wire mesh element extending transversely to said plates in direct mechanical contact therewith and operable to heat the space thereabout to thereby reduce the density of vapor about said anode.

3. In combination with an electric current rectier of the vapor arcing type having an anode and an arc guide arranged thereabout, of a grid structure disposed within said guide comprising an element formed of` plates extending axially of said guidevand so spaced relative to each other as to establish electric space charges therebetween of such magnitude as to control the flow of electrons and ions through said guide, and a wire mesh element extending transversely of said plates in direct mechanical contact and electrical connection therewith operable to heat the space thereabout whereby the density of the vapor about said anode is reduced.

4. In combination with an electric current rectifier of the vapor arcingtype having an anode and an arc guide arranged thereabout, of a grid structure disposed within said guide comprising an element formed of plates extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said guide and so spaced relative to each other as to establish electric charges therebetween of such magnitude as to control the iiow of electrons and ions within said guide, and a wire mesh element extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said guide, the said mesh element being in direct mechanical contact and electrical connection with said plates and being so dimensioned as to absorb the heat of arcs ilowing through said guide to thereby reduce the density of vapor about said anode during momentary non-operating periods thereof, and means supporting said elements Within said guide in insulated relation therewith.

STEFAN WIDMER. 

